With a series of votes, the Tuscaloosa City Council on Tuesday officially approved the fiscal 2014 operation budgets for the General and Water and Sewer funds. Included in the $130.75 million General Fund is a $1-per-month increase in the garbage collection rates for both commercial and residential customers.

By Jason MortonStaff Writer

With a series of votes, the Tuscaloosa City Council on Tuesday officially approved the fiscal 2014 operation budgets for the General and Water and Sewer funds.Included in the $130.75 million General Fund is a $1-per-month increase in the garbage collection rates for both commercial and residential customers.For households, the collection rate for garbage, recycling and yard debris will go from $15.35 per month to $16.35 per month beginning Oct. 1.Commercial rates will increase from $24.35 to $25.35.Mayor Walt Maddox said the increase was to cover some of the cost increases to operate the Environmental Services Department and referred to its $7.36 million estimate in expenses for fiscal 2014, an increase of almost 10 percent over the $6.7 million in costs accrued by the department in the current fiscal year.The fiscal 2014 expenses are expected to be offset somewhat by $4.53 million in revenue (which includes the $1 hike), but still short of breaking even.Maddox said this was an historical trend.“It’s really a tax break,” the mayor said. “The city has historically subsidized (this service).”Another rate increase is factored into the $44.19 million Water and Sewer Fund budget, in which water and sewer rates are hiked 4 percent.This means the current rates of $1.88 and $2.32 per 100 cubic feet (or approximately 750 gallons) for water and sewer service, respectively, will be increasing to $1.96 and $2.41.According to Water and Sewer Department Director Jimmy Junkin, the increases are to offset the costs associated with the system improvement mandated by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency along with some instances of inflation.Included in the General Fund is a $12.35 million allocation for agency funding, which will be disbursed among 36 different agencies outside of City Hall. And in both the General Fund and Water and Sewer Fund money is set aside to cover 2.1 percent cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) for all employees.The total increase for the salary increases is approximately $860,000.However, on the mayor’s recommendation, the City Council voted not to allow an annual step raise increase for city workers, which would have pushed the salary expenses even higher.